Whether you’re looking for Super Bowl party ideas or football bday party ideas, we’ve got some fun tips for you! Food and football are the key elements of any successful football party but don’t stop there. With a little party planning know-how and the right party supplies, decorations, games, and activities, you can transform your party from a so-so party into an annual event your friends and family look forward to every of the year (or weekend!).
While a variety of games and activities can amp up your football party, festive decorations are just as important. Ideally, your party’s decor will reflect either one or both of the teams playing on the day of the big game. Generic football decor is also acceptable. In general, the goal is to establish a sporty, laid-back, and fun atmosphere in keeping with the party itself.
Not sure where to start? Incorporate the following football party decorating ideas into your gathering — and don’t be surprised if guests beg you to be the host or hostess again in the future.
Elevate the Party Food: Make the Treats And Serving Area As Visual As Possible
Food at football watch parties is typically served buffet-style, allowing guests to grab seconds when desired. This setup certainly doesn’t mean that you should skimp on presentation.
- Table decorations – Deck out the serving area with your favorite team’s official colors. A team table cover, streamers, and colorful plates can make a huge difference. Better yet, use a tablecloth featuring a football field design — complete with yard lines. Cutouts can be placed on either end of the buffet area to deliver a grander, more festive feel.
“NFL Theme Birthday Party” by Kid’s Birthday Parties is licensed under CC BY 2.0
- Custom-themed football cardboard cutouts can be placed on either end of the buffet area to deliver a grander, more festive feel. Goal posts, Heisman trophies, or your favorite football players all make great cutouts for parties.
- In addition to the usual appetizers like chips, chicken wings, and guacamole, aim to serve highly visual treats that make your party pop. If you’re feeling ambitious, incorporate the football party theme into your guac and dip station; the green of fresh guacamole makes for the perfect field, while nacho cheese or salsa adds color to the end zones.
- Need some football party food ideas? Serve foods with a football theme! For example, you can get a football cake or helmet/football cupcakes with frosting in your team’s colors (cakes make great centerpieces for a dessert table too). A sheet cake could be decked out to look like a stadium. Crackers, brownies, deviled eggs, and even chocolate-covered strawberries can all be made to resemble helmets or the old pigskin.
“Superbowl Cake” by Amarand Agasi is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
- If you’re not intent on making fancy items yourself, take some time to learn about offerings at your local pizza places. Many provide specially-designed pizzas shaped like footballs not only for the Super Bowl, but throughout the entirety of the football season.
- Invest in football-shaped serving bowls and fill them with your favorite snacks and dips.
Football Party Decorations
- Build a Scoreboard – A scoreboard can keep everyone up to date and it also makes the party more interactive. Commonly used for fantasy football parties, this football decoration can be made on your own or purchased (cardboard cutouts make great ones!). Aim for a customizable scoreboard featuring the name of your favorite team and scores for both sides. Appoint somebody to keep up with the game and change the score as necessary. At the end of the game, guests can pose alongside the scoreboard with the appropriate facial expressions based on whether the preferred team won or lost.
“Today’s official attendance: Zero” by Matt McGee is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
- Decorate the viewing area! Food and game areas are easy to decorate, but football party hosts often neglect the space where everyone spends most of their time: the viewing area. A few cutouts can make all the difference, as can banners or garlands strung throughout the room.
- Consider going all-out with themed blankets and throw pillows, which serve the dual purpose of making your space more festive while also keeping guests comfortable. A rug representing a football field will complete the effect and transform your living room into the ultimate party zone.
Create Photo Stations with Cardboard Standees
- You might not be able to pose in person with your favorite athletes, but you can still show off your team spirit by taking pictures with cardboard cutouts. Post your favorite photos on Instagram and Facebook!
- Use Polaroid-style instant cameras to take pictures and provide a fun keepsake. Your guests will love these party favors!
- Create the ultimate photo experience with funny hole-in-head cutouts. For example, you can order a cutout of a football player diving into the end zone for a touchdown, a QB throwing the ball, the kicker making (or missing) a field goal, or a player running away from the opposite team. Hole-in-head cutouts of cheerleaders jumping into the air or an interview with a sports broadcaster or journalist can also be a lot of fun.
- Create an amped-up photo booth with a visually impactful backdrop, such as a poster of the game’s setting, a field in the background, the crowd cheering you on, a banner highlighting your favorite team’s colors, or even general football party decor. And if possible, get some awesome props, such as footballs, helmets, football bow ties, ref whistles, penalty flags, goofy glasses, funny talking bubbles, trophies, cheer megaphones, cups of beer, hot dogs and nachos, or team spirit foam fingers. There are so many fun football props you can use and probably some great free printables online too. Encourage guests to let loose with silly pictures that reflect their love of the game.
Play Football Party Games and Activities
- Cornhole and bean bag tosses are perennial party favorites! You can go all out and buy a fancy customized cornhole setup or you can make your own DIY option if you’re handy with woodwork. Or if you need something quick and easy, make a one with multiple layers of cardboard. It might not last longer than a day but it’ll be fun nonetheless. If you need some DIY beanbags, throw some dry beans or rice into socks or sandwich bags and seal them up with duct tape!
- Get a life-sized cardboard cutout with a hole large enough for a football and do a quarterback challenge! You can also get multiple targets to knock down or a small field goal post for a short field goal challenge.
- Darts – Real darts, lawn darts, or revenge darts (Muahaha!), they’re all fun! – You can get a cheap dartboard from any big box store and lawn darts too. They don’t make lawn darts like they used to, but they’re still fun(ish). And they keep the kids entertained during the game ;). And for revenge darts? Get a cardboard cutout of your least favorite player, set some targets, and get to throwing! Make sure this is a special area free from guests, the TV, or other potential hazards. BigHead cutouts make great dartboards too!
- Pin the football – A great option to keep kids and adults alike entertained at a family-friendly party. Make the pins look like footballs and the display like a field goal. Or get cardboard cutouts of your favorite mascot. Fans of the Detroit Lions can play pin the tail on the lion, Packers fans can pin the cheesehead on Bart Starr, or you can pin the Vince Lombardi trophy on Patrick Mahomes (or your favorite player of course). The options are virtually endless, so don’t hesitate to think up something truly original for your party.
Make Your Football Party Fun & Memorable
- Football Party Favors – End the day with party favor bags. This is probably obvious for a birthday party but don’t rule this out for game-day watch parties either! Football stickers, team logo keychains, laces out snap bracelets, mini foam fingers, team bracelets, tiny footballs, headbands, football lollipops, shot glasses, bottle openers, a custom water bottle, and so on. You know your crowd – pick appropriately!
There are clearly lots of ways to throw an amazing party. You might go all out for a Super Bowl party or a one-time football themed birthday party. But if you’re doing a weekly watch from home or a regular tailgate party, just stick to a few solid favorites (interactive activities are great for tailgating and making new friends!) With a little creativity and the right tools, you can quickly take your football party from typical to terrific. The team at Cardboard Cutout Standees is happy to help. Contact us today to learn more about our wide variety of products, including BigHead and life-sized cutouts. Equipped with these impressive cutouts, you’ll have no trouble throwing a memorable football party.
